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When you hear Block Island Ferry, we’re sure that many different things come to mind. A fond memory of a summer trip taken. Your favorite seafood meal on the Island. The first few lines of the jingle, perhaps. Sometimes, in the spectrum of the full experience, it’s easy to overlook the centerpieces of every single trip to Block Island—the Ferries themselves! We know that they are sort of hard to miss down at the docks and in Old Harbor, but wanted to take a little time to share some fun facts that you may not have known about some the Block Island Ferry fleet, past and present!

For this installment in our History of the Block Island Ferry series, here are 5 little known fun facts about the fleet of boats that make Island life go:

The Ferry Helped Build Block Island. Literally…

Back at the turn of the century, people in the area began to figure out what we all know now: Block Island is an awesome place to be in the summer. That notion drove a tourism movement in the 1890s and 1900s. Eventually, wealthy New York and Western Connecticut travelers decided Block Island was a great place to build their summer homes.

In the early part of the century, the first Ferries brought over the literal foundation of the Block Island that we all know and love. The original steamboats carried over lumber, concrete, and other building materials for the houses. They even brought over the asphalt for the roads on the island! Talk about paving the way.

A True Interstate Origin Story

The Block Island Ferry’s parent company, Interstate Navigation, was founded in 1927—and that’s more than just an origin name. These days, service is focused on trips to and from Block Island, mainly from within the state. Originally, though, the “interstate” referenced trips to New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts!

The ferries ran a ton of routes that have since faded, like Stonington, CT to Block Island or Block Island to Long Island. The main modern run (Point Judith to Block Island) was actually dubbed “The Short Route,” in comparison to some of the more lengthy trips. In fact, the Block Island Ferry fleet actually used to run service from New York to Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard!

Mail Away!

After the company was founded in 1927, a seminal moment happened for the Block Island Ferry just six years later. In 1933, Interstate Navigation landed a contract to carry U.S. Mail to and from the Island! For Captain Ray Able and the other founders, this was a huge government contract that served to keep the boats and crew working consistently.

The contract also started a long-standing tradition and bond between the people on Block Island and the Ferry fleet. The spirit of that original mail service attitude is the DNA of today’s fleet—dependable, consistent, and skilled. Only now, the fleet is delivering, not just mail, but all things to Block Island! Even on Sundays!

The Father of Fleet Upgrades

One of the most important figures in the story of the Block Island Ferry company is John Henry Wronowski—the man who was responsible for most of the innovations to the company and the fleet in his time. The son of Polish immigrants, Wronowski was a Marine, mechanic, and electrician with the vision for the ferry company. He worked hard to make partner in the 1930s and was the sole owner by 1960.

Wronowski led the technological upgrades to the fleet, decade after decade. Most of the Ferries were built by his own work at his shipyard in New London, CT, or they were commissioned based on his own designs. A forward-thinker, he saw the foundation of the fleet in vessels repurposed from military use. The Elizabeth Ann, for instance, was a World War I submarine chaser! He was also the driving-force on changes like converting from steam engines to diesel-powered engines from surplus Navy landing ship tanks (LSTs)!

As the Island Evolved, So Did The Fleet

That very same tradition of innovation lives to this day, as the fleet is reshaped to fit the needs of Island go-ers. As tourism and residential living on Block Island saw an upswing in the 1970s and into modern day, the fleet of ferries had to be adapted for modern trips and necessities.

The top of the decade saw the original Manitou introduce the first stern loading boat for cars and trucks. The 70s also saw The Quonset and other boats’ upper decks rebuilt from wood to metal. The 1980s saw booms in passenger capacity to 800 on the Nelseco and 1300 on the Carol Jean. Today, the Hi-Speed Ferry boats travel with efficiency in mind. If you need a marker for life on the Island, look no further than the premier ferry at the time.

The legend of Block Island starts with the vessels that have carried people and supplies across the water since the very beginning of the century. Step for step these boats have grown, evolved and changed, as the Island and the people have needed them to. And they will continue to do so.

Sail Away…